Dinan is one of the most beautiful small towns in Europe, and we want to come here for a long time. There are Saturdays, May, the sun, and almost no tourists on the streets - is not that a fortune. About the most beautiful - not my imagination, here I read: 27 beautiful small towns in Europe. Dinan is on this list in 24th place.
Dinan is in the Ardennes, 100 kilometers from Brussels, in the French part of Belgium. It has about 13 thousand inhabitants. How many years of the city was, unknown, but even in the first millennium of the Nativity, it was already the property of the Roman Empire.
In the Middle Ages Dinan flourished. Nearby there is a zinc deposit, copper is brought from Scandinavia, and in Dinan, brass is melted from these metals and exported to France, Germany and England. Prosperity lasted until the 16th century, while Charles Bold troops did not destroy the city. The reason for the war is very important: one of the residents of Dinan issued a rumor that Karl the Brave was a bastard, that is not legitimate. Because of the war, the best masters of the brass coffin fled and settled in Aachen. The city is almost destroyed, prosperity ends.
During the First World War, the German army passed through Dinan. In general, the Germans went to France, but after their transit there was not much left. This reminder in refinement for German tourists depends in the form of posters at every step.
The road to Dinan passes between these rocks, they are called Bayard Rocks. According to legend, the gap in the rocks makes the magic horse Pay. He accidentally hit a rock with his nails, from the impact of the stone it gave a 40-meter gap and broke into two parts. There are many other legends that are less fairy tales, such as legends where rocks are split apart by gunpowder.
In Dinan, Adolph Sachs was born. As is obvious from his name, he came with a saxophone. The Master himself does not bring much benefit, except perhaps moral satisfaction, but the city still collects dividends. Saxophone is here at every step.
Dinan was literally wedged between the rocks on both banks of the Maas river. The castle on the right is visible from every path.
The left bank is less attractive, but there are many things to see around the city. For example, the operatic monastery of Leffe. By him you can swim on this boat. The tour lasts 40 minutes and costs about 8 euros. For us, the truth, very unfortunate for 40 minutes, we then will not have time to check the cathedral and fort.
Here we approach the cathedral.
It almost blends with rocks and castles, as if they were the creations of one creator. But the cathedral was built in the 13th century, and the castle is a relatively modern building that existed since the 19th century.
We went to the church itself, it was called Notre-Dame de Dinant, Cathedral of Our Lady of Din. Inside stands a mysterious green twilight.
After resting in the cathedral, I did not want to move, the 408 steps toward the top of the mountain to the castle seemed an unnecessary obstacle. Why, if you can ride a cable car? The road was built in 1956, and its steps were cut in the 16th century. These facts with our decisions are not at all connected, I just take them for reference.
We defended small but slow bends to the cashier and bought the tickets. Slow turns, as some big women companies for a long time find the difference in ticket prices by foot and on the cable car. Then the women consulted long to find out how many tickets to take, then came to the common denominator, took the cheaper and stepped up fast. And we, rocking in the air, sailing? Have you flown? In short, in a hurry.
On the slopes grow lilacs. She is very much, and she smells great.
And below is the old town, and the smoke spread on the roofs of the houses. Either a heated stove, or a fireplace.
Here we are at the top. two meters wide from the walls of the castle has long been one of no-protected, after the Second World War made the museum here. But part of the fort still belongs to the army. Somewhere in the room, hidden from the outer view, 400 Belgian cadets hide.
The museum exposition is dedicated to the events of the First World War.
On the floor, the date of the bombing was highlighted, from which the city suffered.
Stone painting.
Well, we are recorded here.
Everything, good for climbing the dungeon, it is time to get into the light of God.
We are already standing on the walls of the castle and admiring the admiration of each house separately and the whole city as a whole.
Now about that mortal creature. In the fort area there are two small graves. All these crosses belong to the graves of the Belgian army.
We also took to the cable car and went to the bridge. In my opinion, he is the only one in Dinan, bearing the name of another famous son from the town of Charles de Gaulle. Well, not exactly his son, the general was born in Lille, but at Dinan he spent an important part of his life: he fought in this city during the First World War and even got his first wound here.
Along the beach there is a boat, everything you can swim: with an excursion or individually.
And this is the dividend Dinan took from Adolf Sachs. Excessive and extraordinary show to decorate the city and attract tourists. Each saxophone symbolizes some European countries. All these saxophones, as well as other works dedicated to Adolf Saks, appear in Dinan in 2014, when the city celebrates 200 years since the birth of his master.
After finishing our trip, we saw another monument to the saxophone. Composition of 4 tons of this glass decorate the courtyard in the city hall. The author is a renowned glass artist Bernard Tirtieux.
In search did not remember where the parked car, we looked again at the castle, inhaling the smell of lilac ...
And proceed to Charleroi. About him, I can say one thing: if you pass by Charleroi, drive! But about this - another time.